VietNamNet Bridge - In modern life, silence might be golden, but some of the sounds of the city are diamonds.

Many Vietnamese and foreigners in HCM City claim that one of the things they miss the most when they leave this city is the sound of street life.

And nothing typifies that sound more than the cries of street vendors, who are an integral part of life in Viet Nam and HCM City in particular. Most city residents would be sorry to say goodbye to their sticky rice, custard and noodle soup stalls.

"[When I am back in Australia] I miss the cries of my favourite soya-cake stall vendor, who uses her sweet voice to draw in the customers," said Nguyen Thi My Hao, a Vietnamese woman from Sydney, Australia.

She said she loves the vendor’s singing as much as her tofu.

Hao, 46, moved from HCM City to live with her husband in Sydney when she was 26.

"During my holidays in my native city, I often buy from street vendors just to listen to their voices."

"I want to remember the days when I was young and still went to school in Binh Chanh District. My mother earned money to support us by selling pudding on the streets."

Most street vendors in HCM City come from the central provinces, having made the journey with hopes of earning a better income to support their family at home.

At central markets such as Ben Thanh and Ba Chieu, hundreds of vendors gather early every morning to put fresh fruit, sweet soups, pudding and bread in their baskets or three-wheel carts before going to all corners of the city.

"Shouting is an important part of our business. We have sing song cries and we wouldn’t attract the same number of customers if we just stood there quietly," said Le Van Chau, 24, who sells hot bread at VND3,000 around Binh Thanh District.

Another peddler, Phan Ut Thi, 27, a native of Quang Nam Province, came to the city three years ago to sell noodle soup. He said that you can see vendors everywhere in the city, but each of them has a special song.

To attract the attention of customers, two of Thi’s younger brothers walk around streets and alleys making noise by hitting two bamboo sticks together.

Late at night, vendors return to their low price lodging houses, mostly located in rural districts. To economise, they share single rooms with up to ten others. Being far from their native villages, they’re happy to live together and support one another.

Baby, one more time ...

Many educators say that the market economy is creating more challenges for Vietnamese children and teens living in urban areas.

Many youths receive a traditional education at home, but once outside they succumb to the influence of Western cultures and lifestyles – prominent in major cities like Ha Noi and HCM City.

The disparity of traditional customs practised at home and western values learned outside often results in problem-children who exhibit obstinate behaviour at home and at school.

In some cases they reject their parents and become confused about their lives, the world and society.

Le Minh Nga, director of a mental health counselling centre in HCM City, said: "Many of my parent clients are shocked to learn that though their kids live in comfortable, material surroundings, in their emotional world they are starving for more love, sharing and understanding.

"While parents give kids a lot of money, luxury cell phones, laptops and clothes, they spend little time giving them love and care. It is their smiles and love the kids want most - more real understanding," said the psychologist.

Nga’s centre receives more than 200 telephone calls a month, with 40 per cent of the calls made by children aged from 14 to 18. Most of the callers’ problems are related to family and friends, relationships, sex and reproductive health care.

Some local newspapers recently began forums to encourage parents, teachers and children to share and exchange their views and problems about childhood.

The forums aim to help children independently express what they think and want. They send a message to parents that they should spend more time to talk and share with their kids. The forums call on adults to be the leaders, to make the effort first.

Parents, of all people, should understand when their relationship with their kids becomes too distant.

VietNamNet/VNS